Udaipur: A blessing turns 466 year old today

Every city deserves a birthday celebration, a royal one deserves after party. According to tradition, Maharana Udai Singh founded Udaipur on this day i.e. Akshaya Tritiya or Akha Teej in 1553. Today on the foundation day of this beautiful lake city where all lakes are man-made. Let’s go through some of the important stories that everyone out needs to know. Udaipur was a strategic foundation as it is surrounded by Girwa valley that is approximately 20 Km in length and 15 Km broad. Aravalli range separates Mewar from the desert area of Rajasthan. A circular fertile Girwa valley was a perfect place to settle our future in.

A history that was created:

Travelling in past always interest people because the city we live in has a part of us and that is roots. Walking on the roads of the city and thinking about how things reached here, how this valley turned into a city beautiful. The brilliant time of wonder of Chittorgarh that started with Bappa Rawal and proceeded under Rawals Khumaans to Maharana Sanga (Sangram Singh 1509-1527) lost its unmistakable quality after Sanga’s demise. The third child of Sanga i.e. Maharana Udai Singh II, luckily rescued the circumstance through balanced and venturesome standard. The political circumstance in India was changing quickly which the youthful Maharana needed to battle with.

Maharana Sanga

The Portuguese built up themselves on the western bank of India with the new weapon of fighting the mounted guns, they set up themselves on the western shoreline of India-beginning in 1509 with development of ports and posts at Calicut, Cochin, Pulicat (Podouke), Goa, Bombay, Cambay, Diu, lastly landing in Gujarat by the 1530s. The Mughal ruler Babur set up himself in the north in 1526. He as well took the response to the new innovation of mounted guns. With the assistance of Portuguese, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat effectively attempted and tried the adequacy of cannons fighting on Chittaurgarh in 1535. They needed to inspire the Muslim ruler with the end goal of getting a decent footing on the Gujarat coast. They were likewise the primary “merchants” of black powder and gun in India. This viewpoint needs thought particularly in connection to the general discernment that Babur presented mounted guns fighting in India. Actually Portuguese beat the Mughal ruler by 25 years!

Maharana Udai Singh | Source: Eternal Mewar

With this foundation of an unfriendly and unstable north, a southern kingdom outfitted with new innovation and his own home in turmoil, Maharana Udai Singh admirably chose to conform to the changed circumstance in and around Mewar with “Krishan-Neeti”.

A Silent Warrior:

In around 1568, when Chittorgarh was attacked by Mughal Empire then Maharana moved his kingdom to Udaipur and hence the purpose of founding the city was served. Now the kingdom was defended by nature. The tall hills of Aravalli range fought hard all these years in the favour of Maharana. A silent knight.

Source: www.rajasthantrekking.com

It might interest you those Aravalli Hills are now broken beyond repair. What nature has given us we all know but maybe we don’t know how to return the favour. Inside one age, millions who once discovered it the hub of their sustenance, are presently accommodated to the loss of one of the planet’s most established physical highlights. This notwithstanding the way that a great many villages have announced changes in the nearby environment after the mountain range’s corruption, with critical effect on the general population’s lives. Knowing history might be easy but to preserve history is a task. A task for all the generations living the era that was gifted by the descendants.

Let’s take a pledge to preserve the beauty of the city and steer towards some interesting dates and facts about ‘Our Udaipur’.

Jag Mandir was the Inspiration for Taj Mahal: Shah Jahan mother was a Rajput woman, Maharana Karan Singh remained him securely inside the Jag Mandir Palace that was noted as ‘Gul-Mahal’ at the time. Shah Jahn adjacent to his better half and children were solid safe in Gul Mahal, it’s equivalent that sovereign religion got awed by the structure of Gul Mahal and planned Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the earth.

Udaipur- Kashmir of Rajasthan

Udaipur is also known as the ‘Kashmir of Rajasthan’: Udaipur is created like Kashmir once it comes regarding its beautiful landscapes, exciting sights and if truth be told a great thing about lakes. One more reason that connects Kashmir to Udaipur is that each of these cities is positioned on valleys that results in their spectacular beauty.

City palace

Maharana Udai Singh designed a six-kilometre-long town wall, with seven gates: Significantly Surajpole, Chandpole, Udiapole, Hathipole, Ambapole, Brahmpole are worth capturing. The realm among these walls and gates continues to be said the Old City or the walled town.

Gulabbagh

The sculpture of Queen Victoria is presently show-cased among the Saraswati Bhawan Library: In February 1890, a sculpture of Queen Victoria was unveiled among the Gulab Bagh. With the sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi stands amidst the luxurious garden; collectively the Saraswati Bhawan Library in Gulab Bagh was initially called as ‘Victoria Museum’.

Source: Pinterest

Sahastra-Bahu (Sas-Bahu) Temples is on a list of India’s Heritage Monument: Sahastra-Bahu Temples area is magnificently noted as ‘Sas-Bahu’ temples. Historical records say, that Sahastra Bahu means ‘Vishnu with one thousand arms’ but the native stories suggest a definite tale. They’re situated in Nagda at Udaipur, Located 20 km away from the city.

The curious case of Hare: Maharana Udai Singh II is said to have established his new capital city of Udaipur when he chased a rabbit/hare at Akshay Tritiya chase in the Girwa Valley, somewhat northwest of Ayad town. Same way chasing rabbit/hare Ahmedabad and Sirohi was found by their respective founders that too on Akshaya Tritiya.

Old Palace, Udaipur

With these stories, history is left open-ended. There is still a lot we need to know about this magical city, a book with empty pages where words need to be discovered to uncover. In the end, clinking glasses with the lakes, hills and aura of this city. We wish Venice of east a very Happy Birthday!